Central Athens is ringed by small rocky hills, remnants of an ancient limestone ridge. Some were sacred or political places in ancient Athens, others have become parks and viewpoints. Climbing them is the best way to understand the city's shape, with its sea of white concrete reaching to the mountains and the gulf of Piraeus.
Lycabettus
Lycabettus (Lykavittos) is the highest hill in the centre, 277 metres, a pine-covered cone of rock towering over the Kolonaki district. In myth Athena was carrying a mountain to strengthen the Acropolis when, receiving bad news, she dropped it: so Lycabettus was born. At the top stands the white chapel of St George (Agios Georgios), with a café-restaurant and a panoramic terrace from which, on clear days, you can see the Parthenon, Piraeus, Aegina and the mountains of the Peloponnese.
There are two ways up: on foot, by a path and stairway through the pines (about 30 minutes from the top of Kolonaki), or by the funicular that leaves from Aristippou Street and runs through the mountain in a tunnel in a few minutes. On the north-east side an open-air theatre hosts summer concerts. On Orthodox Good Friday the candlelit procession descending from the chapel is a spectacle.
Philopappos, the Hill of the Muses
South-west of the Acropolis, Philopappos Hill is a large park of pines and paths. At the top rises the Philopappos Monument, the tomb of a prince of Commagene who became a citizen and benefactor of Athens, built between AD 114 and 116. From here you get the finest view of the Parthenon, head-on and at the same height.
The paved paths and the little church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris are the work of architect Dimitris Pikionis, who in the 1950s landscaped the area around the Acropolis using reclaimed stones, marble and fragments: a masterpiece of landscape architecture. Along the climb is a small cave traditionally identified as the prison of Socrates, though there is no historical evidence.
The Pnyx
Next to Philopappos, the Pnyx is where the Ecclesia, the assembly of Athenian citizens, met in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. You can still see the speakers' platform cut into the rock, the bema, from which orators such as Pericles and Demosthenes spoke. It is one of the symbolic places of democracy. On the nearby Hill of the Nymphs stands the National Observatory, founded in 1842, which can be visited on some evenings.
The Areopagus
The Areopagus, the "hill of Ares", is a spur of polished marble just below the Acropolis entrance. It was the seat of Athens' oldest court, which judged murder cases; in myth Orestes was tried here. The Acts of the Apostles tell how St Paul preached to the Athenians here about the "unknown god": a bronze plaque records the speech. The rock is very slippery: rubber-soled shoes are best. At sunset it is crowded, but the view over the Agora and the city is splendid.
Other hills
- Strefi, above Exarchia: a wild park frequented by local young people.
- Ardittos, behind the Panathenaic Stadium: pines and an unusual view of the Acropolis.
- Tourkovounia: the higher hills to the north, little visited, with wide panoramas.
- Mount Hymettus, east of the city, with trails, Kaisariani monastery and honey famous since antiquity.
Sunset tips
| Hill | Why | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Philopappos | The Parthenon in front, sunset over the sea | Low, 15 minutes |
| Areopagus | Close to everything, view over the Agora | Minimal, but crowded |
| Lycabettus | 360-degree view of the whole city | Medium on foot, none by funicular |
| Ardittos | Quiet, few tourists | Low |
Bring water in summer and a torch for the way down after sunset. See also what to see in Athens and Athens for free and on a budget.